The Gimson Family and the Leicester Secular Society

Secularism in England grew out the 17^th-century tradition of free thought. In the 18^th century Thomas Paine had argued that the Church was inextricably linked with the state to the detriment of the people. He and Robert Owen brought together the strands of political, social and religious radicalism out of which the Secular Movement developed. The term Secularism was first used in about 1851.   

 

It was the forerunner of the Humanist movement and had many links to socialism. Leicester is the only city in Britain which still has a building entirely devoted to secularism.

 

A number of Secular halls were opened in midland and northern cities in the second half of the 19^th century because it was becoming increasingly difficult to book rooms for their meetings. Most rooms were attached to churches and clerical authorities also put pressure on pub landlords to refuse bookings by threatening the renewal of licences.

 

Leicester had a reputation for political and religious radicalism in the 19^th century, partly because of the city’s overwhelming reliance on just two industries – the hosiery and stocking trades – and the prevalent economic conditions.

 

There were Secular meetings in Leicester periodically from 1853 and the Society was formally established in 1861. Josiah Gimson was one of the principal advocates of Secularism in the city. He had been brought up as a Baptist but became disillusioned with its lack of free thought. With his brother Benjamin he began attending meetings of the Secular Society in Leicester in the 1850s. When George Jacob Holyoake, founder of the Secular movement, was prevented from giving a lecture at the Three Crowns in 1873, Josiah Gimson suggested that the Secularists should build a hall of their own. A plot of land was purchased and an architect, Larner Sugden from Derby, was appointed. Five terra-cotta busts – of Socrates, Voltaire, Thomas Paine, Robert Owen and Jesus – dominate the Secular Hall. The building at 75 Humberstone Gate was opened on 6 March 1881. Gimson would then have been nearly 17 years old and attended the hall to hear the many distinguished speakers.

 

 

The family remained closely involved with the Secular Movement. In August 1884 Ernest Gimson wrote to his elder brother saying:

‘You are placed on two Sub Committees of the Secular Society and I ditto. The Conference was very firey. One speaker ventured to describe the clergy of today as ‘a horde of bandits’ and another as ‘lowering mankind below the brutes’. Nothing could better please our audience, to them it was about the most enjoyable evening they had had for some time.’

Sydney Gimson in particular took a leading role in the Leicester Secular Society for 50 years.